Expanding Wisdom and CompassionThrough Study and Contemplation

Video Courses and Lectures

show allHow to See Yourself as You Really AreSeminar in Tsong-kha-pa’s The Great Exposition of Secret MantraSeminar in Tsong-kha-pa’s The Essence of Eloquence on the Mind-Only SchoolMipam Gyatsho's First Cycle on Fundamental MindMipam Gyatsho's Second Cycle on Fundamental MindSelected Talks

Following introductory remarks and an overview of the syllabus for the course, this first session covers the foundations of Buddhist practice as grounded in Atisha's explanation of the "Three Types of Beings."

The session continues the discussion of Atisha's explanation of the "Three Types of Beings," and expands on the foundations of Buddhist practice as described in Tsong-kha-pa's Three Principal Aspects of the Path, and correlations to the Consequence School’s presentation of "Grounds and Paths" (sa lam).

The session discusses the status of a Foe Destroyer (dgra bcom pa; arhat) entering the Bodhisattva path, the Sūtra mode of meditation on emptiness, the generation of calm abiding (zhi gnas; śamatha) and special insight (lhag mthong; vipaśyanā), and reasonings in the Middle Way School (dbu ma; madhyamaka).

Following a student question about the Paṇ-chen Lama, the session continues the discussion of the Sūtra mode of meditation on emptiness and reasonings in the Middle Way School (dbu ma; madhyamaka), and discusses Chandrakirti's Sevenfold Reasoning at length.

The session continues the discussion of the Sūtra mode of meditation on emptiness moving on to the subjects of a space-like meditative equipoise, as well as inference, direct perception, and the five types of duality.

The session discusses the first of the two stages of action tantra: concentration with repetition. Included in the discussion are the topics of meditation on the deity in front, prāṇāyāma, and the generation of calm abiding in Action Tantra.

The session discusses the difference between wisdom and method, alternate meanings of the word "method", yoga with and without signs, bodies of the Buddha, and the Indian tantric commentator Tripiṭakamāla.

The session discusses the differences between Foe Destroyers (dgra bcom pa; arhat) and Solitary Realizers (rang sangs rgyas; pratyekabuddha), early scholastic notions of Buddhism, the notion of lineage, and more on deity yoga and the causes of a Buddha's Form Body.

The session discusses Long-chen-pa's (klong chen pa, 1308-1364) presentation of secret mantra (i.e. tantra), and his interpretation of Tripiṭakamāla's points of distinction between sūtra and tantra, as well as points of contrast with Ge-luk-pa exegesis.

The session begins with a discussion of the proposed distinction between "clerical" and "shamanic" Buddhism in Tibet. The session then resumes the discussion of Long-chen-pa's ideas on the distinction between sutra and tantra, touching on the subjects of the Nying-ma (rnying ma) Nine Vehicle System, the concept of the Dharmadhātu, etc.

The session begins with a discussion of karma and its relationship to ignorance and ethics. The session covers a range of related topics: the Form Body of a Buddha in relation to tantric practice, the views of Tag-tshang Shay-rab-rin-chen (stag tshang shes rab rin chen, 1405-1477), the distinction between "Old" and "New" translation schools, Buddha-nature (de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po; tathāgatagarbha), the role of conceptuality, etc.

The session covers the discussion of Bu-tön's presentation of the division of the four tantra sets in light of Tsong-kha-pa's critique, and other attempts to categorize the tantras. Additional topics discussed are the suitable disciples for practicing Highest Yoga Mantra (sngags bla med; anuttarayoga-mantra) and the levels of mind, and dream yoga.

The session continues the discussion of the division of the four tantra sets, as well as the most subtle mind of clear light in practicing Highest Yoga Tantra, dream yoga, sexual yoga, etc. This is followed by a discussion of the experience of the clear light and the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The session covers the use of the afflictions (desire, hatred, and ignorance) on the path, and continues the discussion of the union of the old and new translation schools. The topic of the view of emptiness in Great Completeness (rdzogs chen) in relation to "basic mind" or "intrinsic awareness" (rig pa) is also covered, specifically in terms of the distinction between the view of the object (yul gyi lta ba) versus the view of the subject (yul can gyi lta ba). This is followed by a discussion of concordant ultimates (don dam dang mthun pa).

Recommended prior reading:

"The Union of the Old and New Translation Schools" in HH the Dalai Lama, Jeffrey Hopkins, and Elizabeth Napper, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications (1984).

The session begins with a discussion of hierarchies in presentations of Buddhist theory and practice. This is followed by the continuing discussion of the union of the old and new translation schools, referring to the five stages (rim lnga; pañcakrama) of Highest Yoga Tantra.

Recommended prior reading:

"The Union of the Old and New Translation Schools" in HH the Dalai Lama, Jeffrey Hopkins, and Elizabeth Napper, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications (1984).

The session concludes the course and the discussion of the union of the old and new translation schools, looking at the specific topics of the nature of Buddha-qualities and the foundational levels of mind in Nyingma and Gelug, the channel-wheel ('khor lo; cakra) system in tantra, the perception of a Buddha, meditation on the absence of inherent existence, and ways of looking at different paths.

Recommended prior reading:

"The Union of the Old and New Translation Schools" in HH the Dalai Lama, Jeffrey Hopkins, and Elizabeth Napper, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications (1984).

Following preliminary remarks and an overview of the course textbooks, the session introduces the text at the center of the course, The Essence of Eloquence (legs bshad snying po) by Tsong-kha-pa (tsong kha pa, 1357-1419), and the philosophy of Mind-Only (sems tsam; cittamātra) Buddhism. This is followed by a brief survey of the major issues: the Three Natures (ngo bo nyid gsum/rang bzhin gsum; trisvabhāva) and the Three Non-Natures (ngo bo nyid med pa gsum)."

The session begins by reviewing the three natures and the three non-natures. It then delves into more detail concerning imputational natures (kun brtags, parikalpita) and the meaning of being "established by way of its own character" (rang gi mtshan nyid kyis grub pa, svalakṣaṇa-siddha).

The session starts by introducing the topic of the series through explaining the different translations of the title in order to bring a deeper understanding of the terminology. It continues with the analysis of Mi-pam's expression of worship and the promise of composition.

The session compares two translations of Dharmakaya, the truth body and the body of attributes, along with giving the explanation of its division. Then it turns to the commentary by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche on how through "release" one becomes able to encounter the body of attributes of a Buddha that exists within oneself.

The session first presents the three attributes of the ultimate mode of abiding: purity from the start, self-luminous spontaneity and all-pervasive compassion. The session then explains how from different viewpoints the ultimate mode of abiding is the foundational element, self-arisen pristine wisdom and the mind of enlightenment. It proceeds by providing further synonyms of the fundamental mind and concludes by addressing the question about the initial complexity of Nyingma's rich terminology.

The session begins with the topic of the fundamental innate mind of clear light, how to trigger it and why do we fear it. It then describes the eight levels of minds with which one needs to familiarize with in order to overcome the fear and eventually recognize our innermost awareness. The session continues by first showing how not realizing the noumenon makes beings wander in cyclic existence, and then compares that with realizing the noumenon through which everything dawns as primordially released and as not passed beyond the nature of buddha.

The session enumerates the eight consciousnesses: the consciousnesses of the five doors, mental consciousness, afflicted mentality, and the basis-of-all, which is the storehouse accumulating the various seeds. Those are the phenomena of cyclic existence. The text and the class continues by differentiating mistaken sentient beings who do not know the inconceivable noumenon, from the yogis, who realize that all those mistaken minds are mistaken minds are the appearances, or dynamism, or sport of this inconceivable noumenon.

The session explains the two classes of the Nyingma doctrines: the Word - the tantras brought to Tibet from India; and the Hidden Treasure Texts revealed by the treasure revealers. The session then goes on to the point that although when talking about the mode of appearance, it can be said that the basis itself has not already ripened into the fruit state, nevertheless this description just accords with how it seems in terms of appearance. The original basis though is always endowed with the ten powers and so forth, and these qualities become fully manifest when realizing the basis as it is.

Answering the question about the four reasonings, the session explains the reasoning of reliance, reasoning of performance of function, reasoning of tenable proof, and reasoning of nature. Special emphasis is given to the last reasoning which in the context of realizing and viewing all appearances as just naturally buddhafied is called a noumenal reasoning.

The session first explains the process of coarsening of appearances through the eight stages. The session continues with the discussion about time and whether there is a beginning or not. It then turns to the questions of how do the appearances of the basis dawn from the basis, and how do the existence of the marks, beauties and so forth manifestly exist (or not) in the basis.

The session reviews and expands on the different explanations of Buddhist cosmology, following with the reflection in what way the karmic seeds act as the causes for the world we live in. Then it compares the differences and similarities between the Nyingma and Gelug description of direct realization of emptiness and of Buddhahood.

The session opens up a new chapter with the section on the the Original Protector, or Samantabhadra. Then it returns to the beginning of the chapter, which starts with a question about the vast attributes of a Buddha’s bodies within the basis. Are these attributes only factors which are suitable to dawn, or does the basis already abide primordially endowed with them?

The session gives the basic structure of the second chapter, which has three basic movements: the delineation of philosophical view, presentation of Initial Buddha, and explanation of how other Buddhas become enlightend. Then it turns to the first movement, which begins with the qualm whether the basis is asserted as only a buddha of natural purity but is not buddhafied as an entity of the final fruit.

The session begins by stating that in the primeval basis there is no differentiation into the two, Buddhas and sentient beings. However, even at the time of the fluctuation of appearances of the basis, sentient beings are established as pure. They can be established as pure through various means - by seeing them as impermanent, or as one's friend, but especially by regarding them as primordially devoid of obstruction in the manner of the emptiness that is natural purity.

The session compares the difference between the Gelukpas' and Nyingmapas' dominant perspectives. While Geluk usually puts more emphasis on the ordinary perspective, Nyingma focuses more on the noumenon that is already fully endowed with uncontaminated attributes of a Buddha. This distinction also carries over on how we practice the deity yoga - are we really the deities or are we just thinking that we are?

The session presents the Nyingmapas' criticism of the Gelukpas' assertion that the most subtle consciousness is impermanent and compounded. In the discussion about this most subtle consciousness, the fundamental mind of clear light, the lecture outlines the eight levels of minds: experience of mirage, experience of smoke, experience of fireflies within smoke, experience of first fluttering and then steady flame, mind of vivid white appearance, mind of vivid red or orange increase of appearance, vivid black, extremely subtle mind of clear light.

The session compares the different approach to valid estabalishment by Gelug and Nyingma. Whereas for Nyingma everything is pure, and it is just from the mode of appearance that phenomena seem impure, for Gelug phenomena are validly established as impure. The lecture expands on the reasons for Gelug's approach, and then goes on to the last part of the chapter's first movement.

The session reviews what does it mean that cultivating the path is more familiarization than meditation. The lecture then continues with the discussion about Samantabhadra, and the unique way how he was released into the stronghold of the noumenon.